Fire And Ice
by Moultipass1
Summary: Short oneshot about how Cho sees Jane and Lisbon's relationship. Post 3x02


**Once again, I'm not sure about my English grammar, hope I didn't make too many mistakes**

**Disclaimer: They're not mine :(**

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Fire and ice.

That was how most people would have described Patrick Jane and Teresa Lisbon.

One was passionate, childish, alive. The other was cool, controlled, responsible.

Opposite characters, a completely different way of seeing things, conflicting personalities.

Very few people understood how they had managed not to kill each other yet. Very few people understood how such an unlikely combination could work. Very few people understood how they put up with each other. But he did understand, he did know. Behind the expressionless face was a very observant man who saw everything, noticed everything, heard everything. Even what was never really said.

It had taken him quite some time to figure out the secret that seemed to make this strange relationship work. The mystery had left him perplexed for months.

Then, one day, the blond consultant had destroyed the only link he had to Red John in order to save his boss. The team had expected him to break down, but he had been unflappable.

And Cho had suddenly understood. He had discovered what most people tended to forget. Unless they had never known.

Patrick Jane could be ice.

It was barely a few weeks later that she had let her emotions take over. And even though they had found out afterwards that it was all part of a plan to get to the psychiatrist who had tried to frame her for murder, the team knew that at least part of the outburst had been genuine.

And Cho had suddenly understood. He had discovered what most people tended to forget. Unless they had never known.

Teresa Lisbon could be fire.

Fire and ice.

Similar enough that they understood each other. Different enough that they completed each other.

Watching them next to the crime scene they were analysing, the agent couldn't help but smile a little. Once again, Jane was pissing someone off, and Lisbon was trying to do some damage control, all the while hiding her joy at seeing the obnoxious local cop put in his place.

An unlikely combination, yes.

But probably the most efficient team in all of California.

He stole a glance at Van Pelt, finding out through her knowing grin that she had seen the same thing he just had. Jane's hand had lingered a little longer than necessary as he helped Lisbon step over a fallen tree, and she had thanked him for the small gesture with a secretive smile. The kind of intimate moments that they got to witness more and more often lately.

Something had changed.

Ever since this dive into Jane's past, with those conversations they'd had about his life before the murders.

He had noticed the slight differences almost immediately, and he hadn't been surprised when his colleague had noticed them too.

The flirting, the bantering, the teasing had turned into something more.

The mutual respect had always been there. The trust had taken a little longer to built, but was now resting on solid foundations. As for the attraction, it had appeared a couple of years ago. But today... Today, they were beginning to notice it. This was probably what had induced this progressive change. He knew them well enough to know how they thought. Jane hadn't wanted to think about anything happening with her because there was only one thing on his mind, finding Red John, and he knew this meant any relationship would be doomed from the very beginning. As for Lisbon, she had never seen anything more than friendship between them because it would have been too risky.

But diving into his past and talking with his brother-in-law for the first time in years had allowed Jane to take another step toward redemption. And seeing him trust her like he had had allowed Lisbon to realise that maybe he could be less dangerous to her than she had thought he would be.

Fire and ice were getting inevitably closer.

"How long do you think it'll take them?" Van Pelt asked, faking interest in the dead body while discretely watching the two people he'd just been thinking about.

He arched an eyebrow.

"Hard to say. Maybe three months."

"Two months before Jane decides to do something about it, three before Lisbon agrees, and four before they manage to actually find some time to go out or something" Rigsby interrupted, coming out of nowhere.

When he saw their surprise, he gave a small shrug.

"What? Didn't think you were the only ones who had noticed, did you?"

Van Pelt shook her head, suppressing a laugh. With his perpetually dazed look, she sometimes forgot that Rigsby was a fine investigator too.

"Wanna bet?"

Before anyone could reply, they all saw Jane raise his hand to push a lock of hair away from Lisbon's cheek. She took his hand in hers and placed it back at his side slowly instead of patting him away like she would have just three weeks ago.

"If they keep this up, I'd say less than two hours" said Cho, his voice even.

Rigsby chuckled at that, which earned him a glare from one of the local cops.

"That would be nice", he admitted. "I'm kind of curious. I'd like to know how it's gonna work out."

Cho silently nodded. He wondered too, sometimes. Getting too close may lead fire and ice to destroy each other. But maybe they would instead manage to find some strength in one another, and to heal together. He sincerely hoped this was what would happen. They deserved some peace and happiness after everything they had gone through.

Right then, Lisbon suddenly walked away from Jane in cold anger, obviously exasperated at something he had said. He ran after her, his hands moving rapidly in the air as he tried to defend himself. Once again, Cho felt a small smile tug at the corner of his lips as he witnessed the common scene.

Fire and ice.

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**The end**


End file.
